Short Summary

Israelis have been faced with an almost total news blackout as the nation's journalists went on strike for higher pay.

Description

Israelis have been faced with an almost total news blackout as the nation's journalists went on strike for higher pay.

SYNOPSIS: Radio and television news programmes have been put off the air by the strike, which involves some 1,200 newsmen. They had given a month's notice of their intention to strike if they did not get higher pay and other improvements in their new contracts. Their old contracts expired on Saturday night when the strike began after no solution was forthcoming.

With television and radio news off the air, the Army radio station became the only sources of news for Israelis who are among the world's most avid news viewers, listeners and readers.

In addition, the strike has shut down more than 20 newspapers and the Israeli News Agency. It is the firs time in Israel's 30-year history that there has been a general strike among journalists. Negotiations went on right to the last minute in an effort to avert the strike, but union officials do not seem confident of a return to work.